Case Zalman Z9 Plus: description, characteristics, pros and cons. Case Zalman Z9 Plus: a budget option with an abundance of fans System unit z9

South Korea knows how to create not only worthy films, but also to produce computer equipment under the Zalman brand: controllers, cooling systems, power supplies, system cases and even monitors. And if the reader thinks that all products are unique, and their batches are limited (this is precisely the stupidity that many sellers justify the high cost of Zalman products), then he is greatly mistaken. In this article, a potential buyer will get acquainted with the cases of the Zalman Z9 line. Instructions, photos, reviews and reviews will help the reader decide on the purchase of a decent system unit.

Market positioning

The case of Zalman Z9 in most stores is called high-end products, which is fundamentally wrong. The manufacturer positions its offspring as a high-quality product (note that many elite products, upon detailed study, turn out to be low-priced or have limited functionality). Therefore, Zalman products should be treated the same as any other product on the market.

A small number of case modifications on the Russian market is due not to the limited number of batches, but to the specifics of our market. Before the presentation of the new Zalman Z9, the company conducted marketing research and found that most Russians like large cases with a bunch of fans, backlighting and, of course, a control panel with a thermometer. But the Germans prefer that the case does not make a single sound and does not flicker like a Christmas tree, respectively, for their market, the Koreans released a completely different, unique model of the case.

First meeting

An ordinary system case, supplied without a power supply and having a cost of about 10-12 thousand rubles, simply must have decent packaging and equipment. Here the manufacturer has something to surprise the future owner. It is better to start the review with a box that is huge. Within the walls of Zalman, they took care of transportation, because, having opened the package, the buyer will find that the case itself does not take up much space inside, and all the free space is given to stiffening ribs made of cardboard.

Inside, in addition to the device itself, the owner will not find anything, but, having removed it from the box, he will find that all spare parts for the case, instructions and advertising booklets of the manufacturer are inside the spacious block. It is worth noting that the Zalman Z9 manual is complete and has a Russian translation. Mounting the motherboard, connecting interface connectors, installing drives and fixing the power supply - everything is described in detail in the manual and accompanied by color drawings.

About build quality

It should be noted right away that all modifications of the Z9 line have the same device and differ only in appearance, and, accordingly, in price. The case made of steel has a huge weight (7.5 kilograms without a power supply), but this is a plus for most users. After all, all the steel walls of the device are very thick and are not capable of vibrations during operation. For the owner, this is a guarantee of noiselessness, since many cheap cases are able to resonate with the fans installed in the system and make specific noise.

The buyer will also like the absence of a cutting edge on all Zalman Z9 steel elements. Assembling a computer will be much more efficient if the user is not afraid to cut their hands on the edges of the case. As expected, the manufacturer used a welded joint only when creating the bearing part of the hull, all other parts can be removed - a regular constructor, which is very convenient during assembly.

Remote Control

As practice shows, a panel with a built-in thermometer and fan speed control is of interest to users in the first week of operation. After making sure that everything is fine, the owner forgets about the existence of the Zalman Z9 control panel. This is quite natural. Still, this panel needs to be given worthy attention. The fact is that additional interfaces in the form of audio connectors and USB ports have a number of advantages over the contacts located on the system board.

It's about durability. For Zalman Z9 Plus connection external interfaces in priority, and the manufacturer tried to make sure that the connectors do not get stuck during operation (controllers of their own design are used). By the way, the USB 3.0 interface is displayed on the panel, which is rare in cheap Chinese cases.

About hard drives

A removable basket for installing magnetic disks will definitely please the owner, however, it is not so easy to deal with it. It is the description of its installation that is described in the manual on just one page. The main thing here is to keep a record of the screws and monitor their size, so that after installing the disks in the basket of the Zalman Z9 case, you can correctly mount the device. Difficulties are possible, and if they arise, you should refer to the video instructions that can be found in the media.

The only drawback in working with hard drives, which was found in Zalman cases, is the inability to install SSD drives in the basket. You can, of course, connect the disk and leave it hanging on the wires in the Zalman Z9 system unit, but this is somehow wrong. Upon a detailed examination of the case, after removing the second protective cover, the user can find a strange cell on the level. In fact, this is a niche for an SSD drive. Albeit one, but still nice.

Cooling system

A review of the Zalman Z9 case may give the owner the idea that the device will be quite noisy in operation, because 4 powerful fans, not counting the coolers of computer components, are capable of emitting a loud hum. It all depends on the user. In the initial state, the entire cooling system operates at the same frequency and by controlling the resistor on the control panel, the owner, when the computer is first started, will have to adjust the fan speed to the operation of the system. It is not difficult to do this - the resonance is clearly captured by the human ear.

In the future, during operation, it is necessary to monitor the operation of the cooling system and lubricate the fan bearings in a timely manner (twice a year for sure). Yes, it takes time, but, on the other hand, these actions will save the owner from noise or failure of coolers. Nothing complicated - open the Zalman Z9 case, remove the sticker, pry off the valve with a needle and remove it, pour in two drops of engine oil, put the plug back in place and fix the sticker in its original position.

Manufacturer's defect

Without deviating from the topic of cooling, it is worth discussing the installation location of the Zalman Z9 case. The photo in the instructions for the device informs the owner that fresh air enters the system from below. But small plastic legs will not allow this to be done if the system unit is placed on the floor (carpet, carpet). Be sure to use a stand, or increase the length of the legs. This is a clear flaw, given that the power supply is located at the bottom of the case. All the dust that accumulates on the floor is drawn into the system.

The Black case does not have a pressure baffle for fixing the power supply. It is simply screwed to the body, as is done in cheap devices. This is also wrong. The PSU itself isn't going anywhere, but the 120mm fan built into it will create vibration that can be audible (the PSU case can drum on the bottom of the case). Be sure to install rubber gaskets under the PSU.

System assembly

Difficulty in assembly can only arise when mounting the motherboard. By unknown reasons the manufacturer chose to make a non-removable carrier platform for installing the base board. Although, of course, this is an amateur. Some people like to mount everything in the case, others prefer to mount all the components on the table. In any case, the connection of Zalman Z9 to the main power system still needs to be done inside the case.

It is worth noting that the device comes with a large set of screws and adapters for mounting. You should not be upset if an excess is found Supplies during the build process. It's just that the manufacturer gave the user spare screws. True, as the owners of the case note in their reviews, the manufacturer saved on rubber gaskets. Still, the case and installed in it computer parts made of metal. But in the end, this will not hurt to assemble and connect the Zalman Z9.

Finally

In general, impressions of the case of the Korean giant Zalman are positive. The ease of assembly is excellent: all the necessary components are removed, nothing inside rumbles, there is no need to break out the partitions, and the metal itself does not have a cutting edge. Sophisticated ventilation, using the laws of physics, perfectly drives fresh air throughout the system (although for this you need to install the case on a stand). The complete absence of noise in the system is achieved by controlling the fan speed, which is also very convenient. After analyzing the review of the Zalman Z9 case, we can safely conclude that this is one of the few devices that is really made for the convenience of the user, and is not just another beauty toy.

The Z9 Plus from Zalman is a budget ATX midtower designed for the gamer and hobbyist market. The company has long specialized in quiet, user-demanded devices with high-end, high-heating hardware.

Zalman Z9 Plus Design Review

A quick look at the case measuring 207 x 464 x 504 mm and weighing 7.2 kg is enough to understand who made it. The manufacturer's name is heavily used in its design. A large Z can be seen at the bottom of the front panel, covering the area with a 120mm blue-lit fan. This is done not only to mask part of the cooling system, but also to circulate air.

Those who can't give up on outdated technology will be pleased to know that there is space for a floppy drive between the fan and three 5.25" mesh-covered bays. A factory-installed 5.25" to 3.5" adapter is installed in the case serves to protect the drive.

Zalman decided to give the front of the Z9 Plus a few extras. On the left is a digital indicator connected to a thermal sensor that can be placed anywhere inside the case to give the user an idea of the heat level. A little lower is a dual-channel controller capable of providing as much as possible quiet operation fans or their overclocking if necessary.

On the right is the first set of USB 2.0 ports, while another set sits on the other side of the 3.5mm headphone and microphone jacks with HD audio or AC '97 support. This separation of USB ports allows you to install large flash drives that can be used simultaneously with other USB devices without blocking them. On the right is the activity indicator hard drive and a reset button with a power switch (higher center).

You can remove the front panel of the Zalman Z9 Plus Black by pulling it from the bottom and then from the sides. In the upper right corner are two small pins that can be detached to remove the cover completely. Zalman made them different to ensure correct connection. Each of the 5.25" bay covers is equipped with a removable dust filter.

Side panels

Turning the ATX Zalman Z9 Plus case counterclockwise reveals the left panel, which is held in place by two black screws. The capital letter Z is also visible here. At opposite corners of the surface, there are two small windows, between which there is a large diagonal grid with another 120mm LED fan in the lower left corner. An additional cooler can be installed in the upper right side for additional cooling, but even without it, the open space should allow enough fresh air to flow into the case so that the temperature of the heating remains under control.

The right cover of the Zalman Z9 Plus is solid and has no channels to hide cables behind the motherboard.

Back panel

At the back, from top to bottom, there are holes for the motherboard connectors with a 120mm non-illuminated fan. Just below it, there are two passages with rubber gaskets - a plus for those who wish to take advantage of external water cooling. Then there are 7 removable covers for PCI cards, a small hole covered with a mesh and a place for the power supply at the bottom, which has now become the norm for amateur and gaming cases.

Up and down

A convenient small tray with the name of the manufacturer is installed at the top in front. It should be useful to those owners portable devices(MP3 players, digital cameras or Cell Phones), which regularly leave them on the case. Directly behind the tray, you can see a mesh grill that hides a 3rd pre-mounted 120mm LED fan. There is also a place for another cooler, which, if necessary, must be installed by the user himself.

From the bottom, the case is equipped with four rectangular rubber feet that raise it above the base and prevent slipping. There is also a removable filter for the last 120mm fan and holes for cooling the power supply.

Internal organization

By removing the panels, you can access the inside of the case. On the left front are 5 hard drive bays that rotate 90° with 5.25" bays above them. On the bottom are spaces for a 120mm fan and power supply. Above is the motherboard tray. Cable management areas are on the right, in the CPU area a hole was cut out to make it easier to change coolers, and in the upper left corner there is a passage for the power cable.

The interior space is a bit on the small side, but not cramped, capable of accommodating 29cm graphics cards. This does not take into account the existence of graphics cards, the power to which is supplied in close proximity to hard drives. Connecting at this location reduces the overall allowable length, so larger video cards must meet this condition.

Some may wonder: what is the purpose of the mesh area under the cutout for the processor? Although the right side panel is completely clean, below it is what is becoming more and more popular among case manufacturers - mounting points for 2.5" hard drives or solid state drives behind the motherboard tray.

Equipment

Complete materials are supplied in a large sealed bag. The kit includes an 8-pin 12V expansion cable, metal and plastic head screws, additional motherboard standoffs, rubber washers and screws to secure hard drives and absorb vibration generated by them, small clamps, and a user manual.

Everything looks great so far, but how will the installation work?

Installation

First-timers seeing the Zalman Z9 Plus Black case won't be sure where they should start. First of all, they face two problems.

One of them is that the frame is not exactly square. When installing the motherboard, it can be aligned with the stands, but it doesn't exactly align with the rear I/O panel. The discrepancy is small, but enough to cause concern. After mounting graphics and network cards, users find that they do not line up properly.

At the same time, to install the video card in place, you have to push it to the hole for the PCI slot and hold it there until it enters its slot. The same has to be done with network card, but to a greater extent, since it is further from the lower PCI-E slot. Both components are installed, but a lot of effort is required for the first PCI-E slot as it blocks the GPU and the NIC does not seem to make good contact.

The second problem arises when mounting SSDs behind the motherboard tray. The four tabs that the screws go through are too tight. You have to bend them with your hands so that the drive fits. This pliability, combined with expansion card installation problems, makes me think that the Zalman Z9 Plus case may have warped. But the packaging is in near-perfect condition and comes with styrofoam end caps to protect the case during shipping.

Ease of installation

The Zalman Z9 Plus case is delivered unassembled. All front panel cables are long enough to connect to the motherboard, even for the inconvenient audio jack at the back of the board. Pleased with the design of the system hard disks. This is one of the most reliable items that users have ever dealt with, which does not require additional tools. The screws are threaded through rubber washers and secure the drive to the side. The drive then slides along the rails into the bay, where plastic clips hold it securely in place.

Between the motherboard tray and the right cover there is a space a little over a centimeter wide. According to user reviews, after installing all the components, this panel is hardly put in place.

Testing

A 20-minute OCCT run based on a GPU test at base and overclock, which peaked at 1020 MHz core and 1200 MHz memory at +0.025V boost using the TriXX utility, yielded the following results. During idle, the processor temperature remains at +33 °C. This is in line with the performance of the Lian Li PC-50WB case. The temperature of the GPU in idle mode and under load is +44 ° C and +86 ° C, respectively. During acceleration, the temperature GPU reaches +45 °C at idle and +91 °C at full load. Again, the specifications of the Zalman Z9 Plus Black are completely in line with Lian Li.

Advantages

For under $70, the Zalman Z9 Plus offers a lot of the right stuff for a midtower in this price range. It is roomy enough not to feel cramped. The hard drive mounting system is incredibly good, and the temperature gauge and front panel controller are nice additions. There are enough free bays and space for additional fans in future expansions. There are no sharp edges - hands will not suffer during installation. And for those who want to install a cooling system more high level connection of external water cooling is provided. A huge marketing advantage of the model is its noiselessness. Indeed, when the case fans are turned on, the noise of the processor cooler at idle is clearly audible. The body of the Zalman Z9 Plus is black inside and out, which enhances its appearance.

Flaws

Build quality is worrisome in the sense that some components don't line up properly and the 2.5" drive mount can be easily bent by hand. In addition, the Zalman Z9 Plus case is missing a few things, but it does have a couple extras. The filter is missing. the power supply fan, and the PCI slot covers are not reusable.These are functional features that are available on cheaper models.Since most temperature monitors use software, it would be possible to sacrifice the indicator on the front panel in favor of these necessary components.

Conclusion

Summing up, we note the following. Judging by customer reviews, the Zalman Z9 Plus is a solid case that, for the average user, should provide everything you need to create a high-performance and quiet system.

Case Zalman Z9 for a long time enjoyed a well-deserved popular love, both enthusiasts and ordinary users. Perhaps because of this, the company for a long time did not dare to make any changes in this model, except for cosmetic ones. When I finally saw the updated Zalman Z9 Neo chassis on the official website, I simply could not believe my eyes. It seemed to me that instead of the site of a Korean company, I ended up somewhere in the fiefdom of Antec or Fractal Design. But no, the address turned out to be correct and it was really Zalman Z9, but only with the Neo prefix. Well, let's see if there is anything left in it from the previous model, except for the name.

Characteristics

Model
Product page	zalman.com
Type of shell	midi-tower
Dimensions, mm	512(H) x 205(W) x 485(D)
Material	ABS plastic, steel
Weight, kg	6,8
Color	Black
Form Factor	ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX
Devices 5.25″	2
Devices 3.5″ external	-
Devices 3.5″ / 2.5″ internal	4 / 6 (maximum, depending on configuration)
Supported number of expansion slots	7
Fans	front - 2 x 120 / 140 mm (2 x 120 mm installed) upper - 2 x 120 mm (installed) rear - 1 x 120 mm (installed)
Interface connectors	2 x USB 2.0, 2 x USB 3.0, mic in and headphone out
Other	Dust filters front and bottom, side window, backlighting of two top fans and USB ports, plugs on USB ports
Recommended cost, $	88

Packing and scope of delivery

The new Zalman packaging style is not much different from the old one. On both sides there is a schematic representation of the case. Tables with specifications and some names, for some reason, are glued to the box, and not printed on it. Perhaps because there are photos of other revisions of this chassis on the network. And the boxes are the same for everyone. Damage protection is standard - foam dampers, bags and stickers.

The package, assembled in a neat plastic cosmetic bag, includes:

assembly instructions;
technical sheet of quality control;
five cable ties.
three additional motherboard racks;
four plastic thumb screws for the power supply;
eight case screws;
12 flat head screws for fixing 3.5″ drives;
six screws for fixing drive baskets;
18 small screws for motherboard, 2.5″ drives and 5.25″ devices.

Appearance

Nothing is left of the mesh vented design of its predecessor in the Z9 Neo. The front panel of the case is solid, with a specific gray mirror paint, which makes the plastic look like polished aluminum. The company logo is emblazoned at the bottom. Control buttons and ports are placed on the top edge.

The front panel is a door that opens to the right side (the recess for opening is located at the top left), and its back side lined with soundproofing. It is held on by two magnets and three loops. Behind the door at the top there are two seats for 5.25″ devices, closed with solid plugs. The lower half of the front panel is occupied by a plastic ventilation grill, behind which a metal mesh of a dust filter is visible.

The square key to start the system is on the left, separate from other elements. Its circular illumination combines power and drive activity indicators. The reset button, two 3.5 mm audio ports, two USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 are placed horizontally on a ledge on the right. The ports, by the way, have rubber plugs to prevent the rapid accumulation of dust. Quite a nice solution, however, the plugs are not attached to anything, and it is very easy to lose them by accident.

The left side panel is decorated with a large smoky acrylic window, 350x250 mm in size. It has curly corners and protrudes 5 mm above the door surface. On the side faces of the front and top panels, a number of ventilation holes are visible for cold air intake and hot air exhaust. The side door can be removed towards the rear and has a stamped handle. It is held on by two plastic knurled screws.

From the inside, the door is equipped with good stiffening ribs. The window is held on ordinary metal petals, without any gaskets.

The right panel is solid and, in general, similar in design to the left. Ventilation slots are also observed in the front and upper faces on this side.

The top panel is plastic and its design is slightly unusual. At the back of the upper, where either vent holes or a solid wall are usually made, you can see a certain rim of transparent plastic that covers the recess.

This bezel does indeed cover the vent and the instructions even recommend removing it if the user prefers better ventilation over less noise. Otherwise, heated air is ejected under pressure from fans through narrow slots along the perimeter of the rim.

Rear view Zalman Z9 Neo is not much different from the previous model. A ventilation grill behind which an exhaust 120 mm propeller is attached, seven expansion slots with ventilated plugs (and this time, lo and behold, they are reusable) and mounting holes for the power supply, with which it can be oriented both with the fan up and down.

But a high-quality dust filter appeared under the power supply, which can be easily removed for cleaning.

At the bottom of the case on the outside, in addition to the filter, there are four holes through which you can additionally fix 3.5 ″ inside HDD and two more larger holes, the purpose of which is not clear. Nothing but a drain, in case of an accident in the SVO circuit.

Four plastic legs have a height of 22 mm and are glued on the bottom with rubber patches, which is positive. A cutout at the bottom of the front panel is needed for ease of dismantling it.

Let's see what has changed inside.

Internal organization

Zalman Z9 Neo case supports vertical installation motherboards ATX, MicroATX and Mini-ITX formats. The maximum allowable height of the CPU cooler is 160 mm (in some cases, up to 165 mm if the cooler gets into the plane of the side window). The possible length of expansion boards reaches 385 mm, taking into account the fans installed in front. The allowable length of the power supply is up to 180 mm, including non-removable cables.

Under the top panel, two 120mm transparent blue-lit fans, model ZA1225CSL, based on a sleeve bearing are pre-installed on the hood. They are connected using molex connectors, the rotation speed is standard - 1200 rpm. In general, the propellers can be described as quite quiet, although with a slight chirring overtone. In addition to the 25 mm thick fans located in the recess, there is another 30 mm margin to the edge of the motherboard under the top panel, which means that almost any standard 240 mm CBO radiator will fit here. True, in the latter case, the holes for pulling wires will slightly overlap, but this is a small problem.

There is a 120mm fan with an impeller on the rear panel white color models ZA1225ASL. This is a propeller based on a sleeve bearing with maximum speed rotation at 1200 rpm, at a noise level of 45 dB (A). It is able to start confidently at 5V, 500rpm and 33dB(A) of noise. In general, this is a fairly decent propeller in terms of acoustics, from which you can hear overtones in the form of a buzz only when you are very close. Its black three-prong power cord is 430mm long.

Stubs all PCI slots reusable and fastened with plastic knurled screws. This is a definite improvement over previous version chassis.

Almost all the space below is occupied by a metal non-removable box that has become fashionable today among manufacturers. Under it, in a volume separate from the main part of the chassis, the power supply, cables from it and drives are hidden. Opposite the drives on the front and sides there are ventilation holes. In the upper part of the casing there are two oval cutouts for pulling wires. The distance from the box to the front panel is 55 mm, which means that you can also place a CBO radiator assembled with fans there.

Two more 120-mm fans of the ZA1225ASL model are pre-installed in front, for blowing, similar to the rear propeller in terms of characteristics, but with a molex power connection. As a result, the chassis turns out to be equipped with a complete set of five 120mm fans, four of which are powered by a molex, and one (rear) is powered by a three-pin connector.

In the motherboard tray, next to the front fans, there are two perforated grids, on the seats of which you can install two 2.5″ drives with screws.

Two metal trays on top can take not only 5.25″ devices, but also serve as a basket for one 3.5″ or 2.5″ drive. Quick clamps are not provided here, but if necessary, the trays themselves can be quickly and easily dismantled by unscrewing a few screws from the side and front panels.

The motherboard tray has undergone a number of positive changes. In particular, the cutout for the amplifying plate of the processor cooler has increased significantly in size. The main openings for pulling cables are now covered with rubber shutters. The number of eyelets for attaching cable ties has also grown significantly and they are now located in all the right places.

There was also such a nice detail as reusable Velcro cable ties in the amount of three pieces. And for laying wires behind the pallet there is up to 22 mm of space in width.

A basket with two drive sleds is located at the front of the chassis. At its bottom, if desired, you can also attach a third 3.5″ drive, fixing it with screws to the bottom panel.

The sled is capable of accepting one 3.5″ hard drive, which is simply inserted into their plastic mounts, or one 2.5″ drive, which will have to be fixed with screws. Corrugated rubber pads are put on the side ledges of the carriage, which act as vibration isolating dampers. Although the drive connectors are turned towards the plastic handle during installation, it does not interfere with their connection at all, since it is located slightly higher than these ports.

There are rubber dampers on the seat of the power supply, both at the bottom in the form of blotches, and on the side of the casing, in the form of a large insert made of soft material. When selecting a power supply unit in this case, do not exceed the length of 180 mm, otherwise it will be extremely problematic to place it together with the wires in this casing.

The front panel, unlike the old Zalman Z9, is dismantled very easily - you just need to gently pull it by the ledge from below, unfastening all eight tulip-type fasteners in succession. Wires are tied to the top of the panel, so be sure to release them before removing the front.

The metal part of the front panel, front view. 5.25″ bays are closed with disposable plugs. And opposite the fans, a mesh is installed that acts as a dust filter. It is not very convenient to remove and clean it.

Behind the filter is a large-mesh honeycomb grill, to the long side holes of which you can attach two 120- or 140-mm fans, or radiators of 240 or 280 mm format. Although it would be better if this grill simply did not exist here, so as not to create unnecessary obstacles to the air flow.

The top panel can be easily dismantled after removing the front of the case. It is also held on eight tulip-type mounts. There are no wires here, therefore, you can remove it without fear. Looking at how close the top vents are to the pre-mounted propellers, it's doubtful that any tangible air movement is possible through the side perforations.

Two 120mm fans can be mounted on the ledges on the top panel. Elongated holes allow you to install here even "tricky" radiators with a small indentation between the middle holes, like those produced by Corsair.

The set of wires includes four standard cables from the system operation and drive activity indicators, system start and reset buttons, one USB 2.0 header, an HD Audio cable, and one USB 3.0 header. The length of all cords is sufficient, the color of the insulation of the wiring is completely black.

Let's move on to assembling the system and its thermal test.

Assembly

The assembly of the system in the Zalman Z9 Neo case went without a single problem. In terms of ease of placement and access to components, cable routing and connection, a new version the chassis turned out to be head and shoulders above the old one. The only moment that can cause inconvenience is the installation of the power supply in the cramped space of the box at the bottom of the chassis. If the unit has a modular cable connection, it is better to connect all the wires to it in advance. Access to the amplifying plate of the processor cooler is complete, you can install and remove it without dismantling the motherboard, which the old Z9 could not boast of. And it is especially worth noting the complete Velcro, thanks to which the fixation of all cables behind the pallet turns into a "light walk".

The shading factor of the smoky side window is chosen quite well, and presents the contents of the case in a good light, hiding unnecessary details.

The lighting came out a little ambiguous. The interior of the chassis is illuminated by the blue LEDs on the top two fans. In addition, part of the light passes through the rim of the top cover. The system start button and all four USB ports are illuminated around the perimeter. The drive activity indicator is combined with the backlight of the start key, and is highlighted with a brighter light when triggered. In the light everything looks decent, but in the dark it is very bright. In addition, the USB ports are lit even after the system is turned off, if the connector is powered. And if the UEFI of the motherboard does not have a parameter responsible for USB power management, then you will have to enjoy this radiance forever, or turn off the PSU from the outlet.

test stand

To test the cooling efficiency of the components in the Zalman Z9 Neo case, the following configuration was used:

CPU: Intel Core i7-2600K (3, [email protected].4 GHz, 1.330 V);
cooler: Zalman CNPS10X Performa;
motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77MX-D3H TH (Intel Z77);
video card: ASUS R9270-DC2OC-2GD5 (AMD Radeon R9 270);
Memory: Kingston KHX24C11X3K4/16X (2x4GB, DDR3-2133, 10-12-12-27-2T, 1.65V);
Solid State Drive: Crucial M4 CT064M4SSD2 (64GB, SATA 6Gb/s);
hard drive: Western Digital WD2000JS-00MHB0 (200 GB, SATA 3Gb/s, 7200 rpm);
power supply: be quiet! Dark Power Pro 10 (550 W);
thermal interface: Noctua NT-H1.

Test Methodology

The thermal load was created by simultaneously running LinX 0.6.5 stress tests with 2048 MB of allocated memory and MSI Combustor 3.5.1.0 for 10 minutes after the temperature stabilized. The hard drive was loaded with Crystal Disk Mark 5.0.3 x64. At the end of the test cycle, the system was idle for 10 minutes to determine the minimum thermal performance. The ambient temperature was 26 degrees Celsius. The fan speeds of the CPU cooler and video card are fixed at maximum speed. The peak power consumption of the system was 336 watts. Testing was carried out in a single comparison mode with an open stand. All preset propellers ran at the maximum available speeds.

Test results

Since the Zalman Z9 Neo has a number of solutions inherent in cases with passive noise reduction in its design, it is not very good in terms of cooling components. With the front door closed and the top panel rim installed, even with a full set of fans running at full speed, component temperatures don't look very optimistic. The processor, power elements and motherboard heat up by seven degrees more, and the video card by 14 degrees, seven degrees in comparison with an open stand. And only the hard drive feels a little lighter in the case - two and one degrees, under load and idle, respectively. Therefore, I can rate the basic ventilation scheme in the case as “worse than average”. How can it be improved? Open the front door when the components are heavily stressed, remove the front dust filter, remove the top decorative bezel, and possibly completely cut off the top cover above the fans, replacing it with a grill grate, or something similar.

conclusions

The updated Zalman Z9 Neo chassis has many improvements over its Z9 predecessor. Appearance has become more pleasant and strict, the stock of internal space in the case has noticeably increased due to the removal of unnecessary compartments, the possibility of laying wires has improved, a complete set of relatively quiet fans has appeared, possible installation CBO systems on the front and rear panels. This is all positive, no doubt. After all, a number of painful problems were solved, which stopped many who wished from buying this case.

However, all these improvements were not in vain, and the overall cost of the case increased slightly, since it stopped saving on matches (for example, on reusable plugs, a power supply filter, rubber shutters and Velcro for cable management). The second point that confuses me is not very good system ventilation, which will cause the system components to heat up more. For most ordinary users this is not critical, but for enthusiasts who are fighting for every degree in their system overclocked to the limit, this can become a stumbling block.

In general, I liked the updated Zalman Z9 Neo in terms of the totality of its parameters, and therefore it can be recommended for purchase when assembling any computer systems, except for the hottest configurations.

Specifications

Model name	Zalman Z9 NEO Plus
Type of shell	MidiTower
Dimensions (H × W × D), mm	490×205×482
Weight, kg	6,7
Side panel	Transparent matte plastic
Color	Black
Material	Steel, ABS plastic
Regular cooling system	Front fans (blowing): 120 × 120 × 25 mm (Zalman ZA1225ASL, 1200 rpm, 2 pcs.). Rear and top fans (blowing): 120 x 120 x 25mm (Zalman ZA1225CSL 1200rpm x 3)
Drive bays	2×5.25 2×3.5 4×2.5
Expansion slots, pcs.	7
Motherboard compatibility	6.7×6.7 (Mini ITX), 9.6×9.6 (Micro ATX), 12×9.6 (ATX)
I/O ports	USB 3.0 × 2, USB 2.0 × 2, HD Audio × 1
Power supply support	Any PS2 compatible power supply
Maximum length of the power supply, mm	200
Maximum cooler height, mm	160
Maximum length of video cards, mm	400
Dust filters, pcs.	2 (front and bottom)
Possibility to install fans	Front Panel: 2 × 120 mm. Top panel: 2 × 120 mm. Back panel: 1 × 120 mm. Base: - not provided. Reverse sidebar: - not provided
Possibility of installation of coolant radiators	Front Panel: from 120 mm to 240 mm; Top panel: from 120 mm to 240 mm; Back panel: 120 mm. Base: - not provided
Extras (features)	- soundproofing of the front cover; - opportunities for cable management; - Top and rear backlit fans
Manufacturer's warranty, years	2
Country of Origin	China
Minimum retail price, rub.	4 160

⇡ Packaging and equipment

Zalman Z9 NEO Plus comes in a simple cardboard box with a sketch of the case on the front side, the model name and a list of its features at the bottom.

The packaging inside a cardboard box is also quite typical: two foam inserts fix the case, which is additionally sealed in a plastic bag.

The Zalman Z9 NEO Plus package includes five plastic ties, a set of screws and bushings, a speaker, and a quick guide.

Just like any other budget building.

Case production country - China, warranty - 2 years. Zalman Z9 NEO Plus cannot be called a novelty - it is an update of a model that has been produced in one form or another since the spring of 2016. The predecessor of the Plus modification - Z9 NEO - is available in most retail stores at a price of 3,500 rubles. That is the most that neither is the middle class.

⇡ D design and dimensions

Zalman Z9 NEO Plus looks pretty conservative. There are no bright eye-catching details, lacquered surfaces or chrome inserts in its design. Everything is very simple and even standard for MidiTower cases. However, see for yourself - perhaps you will have a different opinion.

From the materials used in the case 0.6 mm steel and ABS plastic. Zalman Z9 NEO Plus is 490mm high, 482mm long and 205mm wide. The device weighs only 6.7 kilograms.

If you look at the case from the front, then its left panel is entirely made of matte transparent plastic and is mounted on four knurled screws, and the right one is made of metal and is completely deaf.

The slits above and to the left of it are more decorative, since no air flow through them is felt.

The solid front panel of the case has a barely noticeable textured pattern, reminiscent of rough polishing. It opens, and a metal dust filter is visible behind it, followed immediately by fans. Where do they get air from? But who knows from where, but certainly not from narrow side slots.

The top bezel can be removed to increase airflow out of the case from the top fans.

The lower dust filter is also removed. True, it slides back, which, as you understand, is inconvenient.

The body rests on four 23 mm high legs with oval rubber feet.

On top of the front panel of the Zalman Z9 NEO Plus there is a backlit power button, reset button, two USB 3.0 connectors and the same number of USB 2.0 - all four are closed with rubber caps, as well as microphone and headphone jacks.

In general, the build quality of the case and the materials used in it is not bad, although the difference with higher-end products cannot be overlooked. But the price here is different, of course.

⇡ Internal structure

The front panel of the case is hinged and held closed by magnets. Underneath is a plastic grille and two 5.25-inch bay covers.

A two-millimeter soundproofing is glued on the door itself. There is practically no gap between the door and the ventilation grille.

The entire front panel is fixed on plastic latches with latches. If you remove it, you can see a metal dust filter and disposable plugs for five-inch bays.

The top panel also rests on the same plastic clips. Having removed it, you can see a metal chassis with a frame on which two 120-mm fans are fixed, oriented with blowing impellers.

Let's look at Zalman Z9 NEO Plus without side panels.

The main working area of the case looks spacious, with easy access to any part. It can accommodate Mini ITX, Micro ATX and ATX form factor motherboards. Larger E-ATXs will also fit, but they will block the holes for cables that will have to be routed in some other way. There is also a window in the pallet for installing or removing a processor cooler without dismantling the motherboard from the case.

On the front, at the top of the case, there are two bays for 5.25-inch devices.

Both baskets are removable, they can be easily dismantled from the body and, if desired, not returned back.

For 3.5-inch drives, the case also has two bays, this time with removable plastic sleds.

They can also install 2.5-inch form factor drives, and two more seats for drives this format is on the vertical partition of the case.

Thus, the total number of 2.5-inch drives in the Zalman Z9 NEO Plus can reach four. What's more, 5.25-inch drive bays can accommodate two 3.5-inch drives or two 2.5-inch drives.

The case is designed to install power supplies up to 200 mm long. BP is fixed in a standard way- screws to the rear wall.

The power supply is installed with the fan facing down to draw in fresh air through the built-in dust filter.

As for video cards, the length of the case can accommodate even 400 mm models, and general configuration can be seen in the following diagram.

The number of slots for expansion cards in the case is standard - seven. The slots are covered with mesh strips, which are secured with plastic-sheathed knurled screws.

At the end of the internal inspection of the Zalman Z9 NEO Plus, we note the presence of five holes for laying cables with rubber plugs, as well as a large number of ordinary holes and metal jumpers for laying cable ties.

⇡ Cooling system and equipment options

Zalman Z9 NEO Plus is equipped with five 120mm fans at once. Two fans are installed on the front wall and blow into the case.

In turn, two more 120-mm fans are installed on the top wall of the case, and one on the back. This trinity works on blowing out of the case.

Thus, the air flow pattern in Zalman Z9 NEO Plus should be something like this.

True, we have some doubts about the efficiency of the front fans due to their proximity to the blank front cover ...

All fans are based on sleeve bearings and their speed is constant at 1200 rpm. The rear fans differ from the front ones in a transparent housing and impeller, as well as the presence of backlighting.

There is no fan speed control in Zalman Z9 NEO Plus, and the fans are connected via a serial connection of five PATA-type connectors, which are then connected to the power supply.

We add that liquid cooling systems with radiators up to 240 × 120 mm in size can be installed in this case on the front or top wall, if the total thickness of the cooling system does not exceed 55 mm.

⇡ Assembly

In principle, the process of assembling components in Zalman Z9 NEO Plus does not differ from assembly in other cases, and there are no unique features here as a class. 3.5-inch drives are installed in plastic baskets with rubber holders, and this is done without screws at all.

2.5-inch drives are installed on the partition of the case or somewhere else. It remains only to place the power supply and connect everything with cables.

In the upper part, the case is still cramped, and if you install a coolant cooler with fans there, then the additional power cables will not be connected to the motherboard at all. However, for mid-range configurations, the Zalman Z9 NEO Plus may well be the way to go. However, we even managed to place in it such a supercooler as Phanteks PH-TC14PЕ, although its height exceeds the passport for Zalman 160 mm.

Of course, the transparent side cover rested against the fans of the supercooler, but, having bent a little under the pressure of the screws, it still covered the system unit. Assembled and working Zalman Z9 NEO Plus looks quite modern and interesting, despite the most ordinary forms and simple materials.

During the day, and especially at night, the attention of guests and friends will surely be attracted by the illumination of the fans, which are visible through the transparent sidebar corps.

⇡ Testing

We tested the cooling efficiency of the components in the case of the Zalman Z9 NEO Plus system unit on test configuration consisting of the following components:

motherboard: (Intel X299 Express, LGA2066, BIOS 0802 from 09/15/2017);
Processor: Intel Core i9-7900X 3.3-4.5GHz (Skylake-X, 14nm, U0, 10×1024KB L2, 13.75MB L3, TDP 140W);
CPU cooling system: (two Corsair AF140 Quiet Edition at 700-1080 rpm);
thermal interface: ;
graphics card: (GV-N1080G1 GAMING-8GD) 8GB 1696-1835(1936)/10008MHz;
RAM: DDR4 4×4GB Corsair Vengeance LPX 2800MHz (CMK16GX4M4A2800C16) (XMP 2800MHz/16-18-18-36_2T/1.2V or 3000MHz/16-18-18-36_2T/1.35V);
system disk: Intel SSD 730 480 GB (SATA III, BIOS vL2010400);
disc for programs and games: Western Digital VelociRaptor 300 GB (SATA II, 10000 rpm, 16 MB, NCQ);
backup drive: Samsung Ecogreen F4 HD204UI 2 TB (SATA II, 5400 rpm, 32 MB, NCQ);
sound card: Auzen X-Fi HomeTheater HD;
control and monitoring panel: Zalman ZM-MFC3;
cases:
- Zalman Z9 NEO Plus (five 120mm 1200rpm fans);
- CHIEFTEC GP-01B-OP (three 120mm 800 or 1200 rpm fans);
- Thermaltake Core X71 [five at 900 rpm];
Power supplies:
- be quiet! Straight Power 10 500W CM (0.5kW, 80 Plus Gold), 135mm fan;
- Corsair AX1500i Digital ATX (1.5kW, 80 Plus Titanium), 140mm fan.

In order to improve CPU heat dissipation and increase the dependence of its cooling efficiency on case ventilation, we overclocked the CPU to 4.4 GHz with a voltage increase of motherboard BIOS boards up to 1.125 V (at LLC 4), and the frequency of the RAM was increased to 2.933 GHz with a significant reduction in the main timings. The video card worked at its nominal frequencies without manually adjusting the speed of the cooling system fans.

Cooling efficiency testing was carried out under the control operating system Microsoft Windows 10 Pro using a complex load of simultaneous activity of three programs for about 30 minutes. CPU and RAM were loaded by cyclic testing of the 7-Zip 17.01 beta x64 archiver benchmark, which uses all 20 processor threads, with a dictionary size of 32 MB. In turn, the video card was loaded with 35 cycles of the Fire Strike Extreme stress test from 3DMark version 2.4.3819 64. Finally, one of the hottest 3.5-inch hard drives(Western Digital VelociRaptor) was warmed up in the Average Read Access mode from the disk test of the AIDA64 Extreme utility. Temperature monitoring was performed by HWiNFO64 v5.60-3280 and newer.

Room temperature during the tests was controlled by an electronic thermometer and ranged from 22.8 to 23.1 degrees Celsius. We measured the noise level of the cases with an OCTAVA-110A electronic sound level meter, fixed on a tripod at a distance of 70 cm from the case of the system unit. The lower measurement limit of this sound level meter is 22.0 dBA.

We will compare the Zalman Z9 NEO Plus with the one we recently tested, as well as with our reference Thermaltake Core X71. The hero of today's article was tested in two modes: in the standard form, that is, with the front panel closed and the top frame installed, as well as with the front panel open and the frame removed.

First, let's look at the test results temperature regime components assembled in three cases of system blocks.

It hardly surprises anyone that in the standard mode of operation - with the front panel closed and the top frame installed - Zalman Z9 NEO Plus takes the last places in three of the four controlled parameters. There is simply nowhere for air to enter the case, so Zalman with its five 120mm fans loses to the same CHIEFTEC with three of the same fans. Moreover, if we compare these cases at the same fan speed, then Zalman lost seven degrees Celsius at peak load in terms of GPU temperature, four degrees Celsius in GPU heating, and two degrees Celsius in the remaining two temperatures.

To improve the cooling efficiency of the components inside the Zalman Z9 NEO Plus, a simple action will help - just open the front door and at the same time remove the frame on top of the case. This allows you to win back four degrees Celsius at once in CPU temperature, a couple of degrees on the video card and VRM circuits, and on the hard drive - as much as five degrees Celsius. Since the HDDs are installed immediately after the front lower fan, it is on them that the opening of fresh air access affects the most, although of all the components, the drives in our case heat up weaker than the others.

Now let's check the noise level of Zalman Z9 NEO Plus.

Well, from five 120 mm fans at 1200 rpm, installed inside a box made of plastic and thin steel without serious sound insulation, one could hardly expect anything else. To be more precise, the Zalman Z9 NEO Plus is uncomfortable in terms of noise level in normal operation and even more uncomfortable when the front door is opened.

⇡ Conclusion

The Zalman Z9 NEO Plus case is a characteristic representative of the middle class of MidiTower cases. It is compatible with the most popular segment of ATX motherboards and smaller boards, supports long graphics cards and not too tall tower coolers, and can accommodate enough drives and liquid cooling systems for such configurations. The case also has cable management and even front and bottom dust filters. Finally, the Z9 NEO Plus has a transparent sidewall and fan lighting with modding claims.

But Z9 NEO Plus also has problems, most often inherent in cases in this price range. Five 120mm non-speed adjustable fans make this model pretty noisy. In addition, we noted shortcomings in the organization of air flows. However, in such cases, as a rule, top-end configurations are not assembled, and this Zalman will cope with middle-class components without problems. However, we will not be mistaken if we say that any user would certainly like to have a case with a reserve for the future, and certainly this case should not make any noise. However, the final choice, as always, is yours.

If you belong to the so-called cast of IT enthusiasts involved in overclocking, modding and hunting for the latest and most powerful hardware, then Zalman needs no introduction for you. But today we will not talk about complex coolers and accessories, but about a simple “box” for your computer parts - the Zalman Z9 computer case in the Mid-ATX form factor.

Initially, the product was designed for those who value high performance, high quality and reasonable case cost. We decided to check if Zalman succeeded in carrying out his plan.

As a veteran in the chassis and cooling market, Zalman is well aware of what a person who builds their own good computer. And the goal of the creators of the Z9 was a case that would combine rich functionality and low price. Let's take a look at what Zalman Z9 has to offer...

Specifications Zalman Z9

Form Factor
		207(W) x 464(H) x 504(D) mm

materials		Plastic, steel
Motherboard compatibility		Standard ATX / m-ATX
PSU compatibility		Standard ATX / ATX12V
Large video card support		Full, 290 mm
Number of PCI slots
Drive and optical drive bays	External 5.25''
	Internal 3.5''
	External 3.5''
	Internal 2.5''
Fans	Frontal	One slot for 120mm/140mm fan (120mm blue LED fan pre-installed)
		Space for two 120mm/140mm fans
		Space for one 120mm /140mm fan
		Space for one 120mm fan (120mm fan pre-installed)
		Space for two 120mm fans
Front panel with I/O ports		Headphone jack, microphone jack, four USB port 2.0
Case color

Hull Exterior

The appearance of the case is one of the most important factors influencing the choice of the buyer. If a case is perfect on the inside but ugly on the outside, most people will simply ignore it and opt for another product that is less functional but more attractive.

In the photo above you can see the front and left side of the Zalman Z9. The body looks quite stylish - it combines rigor, solidity and a sort of "sporty" element. The matte surface is painted black, in some places you can see glossy inserts that make the case even prettier. Fortunately, there is no “glossy madness”, kitsch and bad taste inherent in some (even more expensive!) similar products. Quite noticeable are the efforts made by Zalman to make the case look decent.

The photo of the front part shows that all the requirements for cooling the insides of the case are taken into account - pay attention to the unobtrusive letter “Z” formed in the lower part by a kind of “petals” that rise above the front panel, creating at the same time a pleasant asymmetry. On the top of the "facade" you can find a button to turn on the computer, just below is an input-output panel with a variety of ports and sockets.

Under it, if you look closely, you can easily distinguish three five-inch bays, covered with mesh plugs, and a little lower - one 3.5 '' bay. We will consider all these points in more detail a little later.

Before us is the back of the Zalman Z9 case. A pre-installed 120mm fan is visible behind the ventilation holes, under which Zalman prudently placed two holes covered with rubber rings - as you might guess, they will serve for the CBO tubes. Also here you can note 7 slots for PCI cards and an empty hole for mounting the power supply, which is supposed to be placed at the bottom of the case.